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More than any other meal, Sunday brunch is a social affair. It
stretches out for hours on a day when people traditionally have
plenty of time to spare. It's about being with family, seeing old
friends, and making new ones. For many in the expat community, it's
a way to connect with individuals who share your passion for a foreign
place. Simply put, it's about people.
Fair warning: this isn't a food review - I'm not qualified. Consider
it an experience review.
Game on
The mashing up of breakfast and lunch is big in Phuket, with several
resorts vying to be the best. It's a word-of-mouth award that's
currently held by Twinpalms Resort; the Mangosteen Resort &
Spa isn't far behind. With Le Meridien's unveiling, served at their
Quarterdeck restaurant, and a similar offering in the works at the
Indigo Pearl, it's shaping up to be a contest with one big winner:
the customer.
Fine surroundings
I assume two things about a resort with "yacht club"
in its name: it's going to have a nautical theme and it darn well
better have a sea view. While there's a distinct lack of cheesy
sailor's uniforms in the hotel, the view over Nai Harn Bay is unbeatable.
Beach goers play in the surf, blissfully unaware of the gluttony
they're missing. Yachts rock on the sea, their owners sitting at
the next table.
The open-air dining area is breezy and free of bugs, birds, or
other critters (okay, there was a swan, but as an ice sculpture,
it hardly qualified as a nuisance). That should go without saying,
I realize - but you are outdoors. Not noticing is noticeable.
A three-piece band from Singapore - Asia's unofficial capitol of
competent cover bands - is on hand to jazz things up. An unscientific
study conducted during this brunch concluded that smooth sounds
assist digestion, make great food taste even better, add an aura
of comfortable classiness, and make everyone beautiful (the wine
might influence that, too).
The mastermind
Chef, cuisine, gourmet: they're all words that came to the English
language via France. Chef Michel came to Phuket via France. This
must be a good sign. He muttered something about the ham being his
mother's recipe and it would die with him as he sliced a generous
portion off the mountainous mound of pork. Cliché? Absolutely,
but in a good way.
Chef Michel is everywhere. He is hands-on, engaging and constantly
in motion. Instructing staff, chatting to customers, and doing spot-checks
on food, he only disappears from the dining area long enough to
whip up special requests. When this brunch idea kicked off, more
than one person commented that his food was the best. So he looked
for ways to improve. That's dedication.
Choices
Saying the food is good, great, amazing, isn't quite descriptive
enough. But a molecule-level recounting of the way nuanced flavours
of a particular dish danced on my tongue isn't terribly helpful
either, as the menu changes weekly.
And what a menu it is. Massive banquet tables are stacked high
with a mind-boggling array of fresh, high quality choices. Cold
cuts, salads, sashimi and sushi. Monster sized fish - as in the
entire magnificent creature. Pasta prepared just as you like it,
on the spot. A glorious table loaded with breads and cheeses. Glass
bowls overflowing with fruit - both the local variety and undoubtedly
expensive imports. And desserts, so many desserts. Tarts, cakes,
pies, custards. It's heaven.
Nothing is forgotten, nothing is skimped on. Enter the Quarterdeck
and you enter a world where dining disappointment doesn't exist.
Back for more
Everyone involved in this production has their heart in it, and
it's obvious. What could be a good, leisurely meal is transformed
into a three-hour, indulgent mini-holiday. The entire house - guests,
staff and management - is all smiles by the time it's over. It's
destined to become a star on the Phuket brunch scene, and I'm destined
to become a regular fixture in Le Meridien Phuket Yacht Club's dining
room every Sunday from noon until three.
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